1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of information handling systems. More specifically, but without limitation, the present disclosure relates to power consumption by display devices.
2. Background Information
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for such systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
In an information handling system (IHS), a display may often be present. The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) has proposed the use of a new DisplayPort standard. DisplayPort is a digital display interface standard that reduces device complexity and provides performance scalability. The DisplayPort standard may be used for both internal interfaces (e.g., interfaces within a PC or monitor) and external interfaces (e.g., interfaces from one device to another such as from a PC to a monitor or from a DVD player to a TV), at various resolution settings. However, the two link symbol clock speeds for DisplayPort may be quite high for midrange resolution support causing an unnecessary power drain when DisplayPort is used for low and midrange resolutions. In an IHS such as a portable device, available power may be limited by a battery pack or the like and therefore, power consumption may be a major concern.
Low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) transmits two different voltages that are compared at the receiver. LVDS can run at very high speeds over low cost, twisted-pair cables. In order to support extended graphics array (XGA) resolution, an LVDS receiver may consume less than 100 mW. However, a DisplayPort receiver may consume as much as 600-750 mW. The difference in power consumption between the DisplayPort standard and other standards may preclude the adoption of the DisplayPort standard in portable devices.
Thus a need remains for systems, apparatus, and methods for reducing power consumption in IHSs utilizing midrange or low resolution settings by current standards.